DJI Fly privacy settings: information authorization and Local Data Mode

DJI Fly's privacy settings let you choose what, if anything, the app shares with DJI. During setup, the app asks you to authorize optional data collection, such as sharing app and flight records to help improve products. You can change those choices later in the app's privacy settings. For the strictest setting, turn on Local Data Mode (Settings > Notification and Privacy), which cuts DJI Fly off from the internet. In the US, flight log syncing to DJI's servers has been switched off entirely since June 2024.

What "information authorization" means

When you first open DJI Fly, it asks for two kinds of permission:

• Phone permissions from iOS or Android: location (to record flights and show your position, the map and GEO zones), photos (to save files to your phone) and notifications.
• DJI data choices: optional toggles for sharing data with DJI, such as product improvement data. These are off unless you turn them on, and you can change them later in DJI Fly's settings.

DJI's Trust Center splits the data into three groups:

Type	What it is	Required?
Activation	Email, password and the drone's serial number	Yes, to activate
Location check at activation	An approximate location to load local maps and GEO zones	Recommended; off in Local Data Mode
Flight logs, photos, videos	Your flight records and media	Optional, off by default

DJI says it adds a random 5 to 10 km offset to that activation location and doesn't store it on its servers.

How to change your choices

1. Open DJI Fly.
2. Go to Settings (from the profile area on the home screen).
3. Open Notification and Privacy, or the privacy section in your app version.
4. Review each authorization toggle and switch off anything you don't want to share.

Menu names shift between DJI Fly versions, so look for "Privacy" if you don't see the exact wording. You can also revoke phone permissions in iOS or Android settings, but turning off location or Bluetooth will stop key features from working.

Local Data Mode

Local Data Mode is DJI's strictest privacy option. With it on, DJI Fly doesn't connect to the internet at all.

What you lose is anything that needs a connection, for example:

• DJI's cloud features.
• Online maps and GEO zone updates.
• Downloading firmware updates and online unlock requests.

Before switching it on, load the map for your flying area, update your firmware, and refresh GEO zone data. For a fully offline setup, also turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data on the phone. DJI notes that an independent review in 2020 validated Local Data Mode.

Flight log sync in the US

DJI disabled flight record syncing for US users in June 2024. The Sync Flight Data option was turned off and then removed from DJI Fly's settings, and US-generated records are no longer uploaded. Your flight logs still stay on your phone or controller, so you can review them locally. DJI also stopped showing thumbnail previews in the app worldwide as part of the same change.

Deleting data from the drone

To clear what's stored on the drone itself, use Reset All in DJI Fly. DJI describes two options: Reset all settings (camera, flight controller and gimbal parameters) and Clear all data, which also formats storage and clears the drone's logs. Do this before you sell or give away a drone. See Mini 4 Pro factory reset for the steps.

To free up space on your phone, see clear DJI Fly app storage. For more on the app itself, read our DJI Fly app guide.

Prefer a controller that keeps DJI Fly off your phone? The DJI RC 2 has its own screen and runs the app on the controller.

Related guides

• DJI Fly app guide: home screen, camera view, settings and icons explained
• DJI Fly waypoint missions and KML/KMZ import
• How to change the language in the DJI Fly app
• How to fly waypoint missions with DJI drones
• How to fly waypoint missions with the DJI Air 3S
• How to fly waypoint missions with the DJI Mini 4 Pro

All how-to guides →